Soakaways and minimum distances

[kingandy2nd]

Hey all,

My driveway project is about to start. The original driveway drained into the rainwater sewer, but I will be enlarging the driveway.

There doesn’t seem to be a definitive guide online for minimum distances for soakaways, but what I’ve gleaned is:

- Minimum 5m from the property / structure
- Minimum 5m from the road (which I assume means the path of there is one)
- Minimum 2.5m from other boundaries

Is the above correct or does BC have some discretion?

My issue is that the situation of my house means there’s no more than 10m between the property and the path all the way around the front of the house.

I watched a Marshall’s paving video and they build in a soak away around a meter away from the path, which seems to contravene the above.

There’s drains to the rainwater sewer at either side of my house next to the edge of the end of the new drive (yellow points on picture), so it would be easiest of all just to drain the water into those.

Any thoughts on if BC will allow me to do that or they’ll just want me to put a soakaway closer to the house or the road?

Personally I wouldn’t want it closer to the house…but don’t know if I could refuse to do this is they told me to?!

Thanks
Andy

 

[kingandy2nd]

Helps if I add the picture! Red is new drive, yellow is rainwater drains

 

[cdbe]

I thought it was a planning issue? No one seems to worry where I live, probably because it's mostly clay, just goes into the drains.

 

[jacko555]

Not an answer to your question, however is permeable block paving / surface an option and no soakaway

Permeable Paving

An introduction and overview of the more popular forms of permeable paving and surfacing used in Britain and Ireland.

www.pavingexpert.com

 

[kingandy2nd]

Not an answer to your question, however is permeable block paving / surface an option and no soakaway

Permeable Paving

An introduction and overview of the more popular forms of permeable paving and surfacing used in Britain and Ireland.

www.pavingexpert.com

Thanks, but I’ve already order my paving and it’s non-permeable.

 

[23vc]

How did this one pan out Andy? Got exactly the same issue, I’m ready to block pave, and can put a soakaway in 5m from house but it’d be close to the front wall/pavement. Tempted to just run it into the existing storm drain but don’t want to risk being told to redo it if someone dobbed me in.

 

[23vc]

Sorry, shouldn’t really have posted about the same thing in 2 threads - admin/mods please delete

 

[kingandy2nd]

How did this one pan out Andy? Got exactly the same issue, I’m ready to block pave, and can put a soakaway in 5m from house but it’d be close to the front wall/pavement. Tempted to just run it into the existing storm drain but don’t want to risk being told to redo it if someone dobbed me in.

I was allowed to connect the drain channels connected directly to the rainwater drains. I spoke to BC before I did it, and they were fine with me doing so.